BJP's Pragya Thakur gets second EC notice, this time for remarks on Babri Masjid

Hours after making a controversial remark regarding Babri Masjid demolition, the Election Commission has issued a show-cause notice to Pragya Singh Thakur - Bhartiya Janata Party’s Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal. This is the second EC notice to Pragya Thakur, key accused in Malegaon blast.  

While speaking to a television channel, Pragya Thakur on Sunday said that she was proud of her participation in the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

"Yes, I had gone there (Ayodhya), I had said it yesterday too, not denying it. I had demolished the structure. I will go there and help in the construction of Ram temple, nobody can stop us from doing that, Ram rashtra hain, rashtra Ram hain (Ram is nation, nation is Ram)," news agency ANI quoted the BJP leader as saying.

Unperturbed by the poll panel’s show-cause notice, Thakur said she stood by her remark and that the notice would be replied to in accordance with the law.

"I am not backtracking. The structure was demolished and a grand temple would be constructed. Nobody can stop me from constructing a grand temple," she said on Sunday.

In reply to another question, she said, "What disputed structure? We will construct a grand Ram temple, will reconstruct it."

According to sources, Bhopal District Collector and Chief Electoral Officer Sudam Khade has asked Thakur to reply to the notice in one day.

The poll panel notice stated that it was a violation of chapter 4 of the model code of conduct, which pertains to maintenance of harmony between castes, communities, religious, linguistic groups.

Earlier on Saturday, the poll panel issued a show-cause notice to Thakur over her remark about Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare, who was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

Addressing BJP workers on Thursday, Thakur had claimed that claim that Karkare died because she had cursed him.